How would you define Generosity?

 “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” Proverbs 11:24-25

We are to make every effort to represent Christ and make the most of what we are given for His glory. We are stewards of all that we have, whether small or great. The better we use our gifts, the more generous He is with us with more gifts, abilities, monies and opportunities. We are called not to waste our opportunities; rather, be diligent and faithful to our call, abilities, and prayer with love and hospitality.

Do what God has called you to do and do it with passion, truth, and in love!

We are called to be charitable and generous to others with what Christ has given you, and to serve Him without being held back by fear, time, or lack of talent. And when we can’t do it ourselves, we can supply others with resources to make it so. As Christians, we are to typify faith and reason together so we can exhibit the maturity needed to make wise decisions and have a purpose in life.

People in the world may be more concerned for their own needs and agendas than they are for God’s clear purpose, but as Christians, we are called to go beyond ourselves to serve others well (Titus 2). Kindness is the proof of authenticity (Rom. 2:1-4; 12:4-21; 16:1; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12-14; 1 John 3:16-23)!

So, are you generous? To see what that means look to these passages:

Positive examples of being generous from Scripture (Exodus 36:2-7; Luke 7:44-8:3; 10:33-37; 21:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7)

Negative examples of being stingy from Scripture (Haggai 1:2-9; Malachi 3:8-12; Matthew 25:31-46; 26:6-13)  

God is generous with His grace, so we should be generous toward each other and be thankful. 

For us to be good stewards, as we are called to live, serve, and do all that we do in life for the honor and glory of our Lord and Savior. How do we do this? Realize how generous and gracious our Lord is. We need to trust Him and accept His provisions, even when we do not see them. And finally to refuse to see His goodness and turn from sin, is the ultimate contempt to our loving Lord! (Acts 7:38; Rom. 3:2; 1 Cor. 1:26-31; Jude 24-25)!

1. What are the things that cause you to be stingy with what God gives you?
2. How does greed counteract Generosity?
3. What happens to our relationship with God, and with others, when we refuse to see all that we have is His?
4. When have you been filled with Generosity?
5. In what situation did you fail to be Generous when you should have been?
6. What issue is in your life now, which would improve with being more generous?
7. Think through the steps you need to take to put Generosity into action in a specific instance. If you are not a giving or hospitable person, seek to discover why. You are blocking God’s work in you. How can you release your selfish attitudes, and embrace the flowing in and out of His work in you?